Great news! My annual survey about your best and worst reads of the year is now open, at long last. I like to imagine my newsletter as a virtual town square of sorts, and sharing your best and worst reads of each year has become a fun and silly way to get to know our townfolk a bit better. So send me your picks by December 24 to be potentially included!
For the uninitiated: have you recently had your brain rewired by a glorious memoir? Did you go on a Tweet rampage about how disappointed you were in a particularly popular novel (perhaps authored by Colleen Hoover)? Are you desperate to spread the word about an article you haven’t stopped thinking about since you read it back in April? Were you particularly inspired or disgusted by a quote graphic you saw on Instagram? Now is your time to shine! I want to hear about your best and worst reads of the year, regardless of their medium, length, or publication date. If you read it in 2022, it’s fair game for submission.
As a taste, I’ve included below a few notes and reviews of notable books from your fellow readers that have been submitted throughout this year. You can also revisit the 2020 and 2021 lists at your leisure!
Some 2022 Taster Reviews
Ashley would like you to please read The Honshin Murders by Seshi Yokomizo, but noted that you probably shouldn’t read Dune by Frank Herbert (lmao).
Do you love Agatha Christie? Would you like to read a locked room mystery in that style but from Japan? Have I got a book for you, friend. The Honjin Murders perfectly captures the Christie ~vibe~ that few have (including the reboot of Poriot blessed by the Christie estate). I hope they translate more of these books into English (there's like 70 of them in this series and currently 2 are available).
Also I will finish Dune but I am not having fun with it. It's a book from the 60s and you can tell. Some of the character names are INCREDIBLE though (like who names a character DUNCAN IDAHO with a straight face)
Sarah Rosenblatt read and thoroughly enjoyed The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson earlier this year, which was Mel’s pick as their best of 2021! We’re all influencing each other here.
Ashdon read Coffee Boy by Austin Chant a few months ago, an “adorable romp from the perspective of a queer and trans intern on a political campaign who is hired by his former PolSci professor.”
He falls for his grumpy supervisor, who in turn has a crush on their boss (the aforementioned hetero professor.) It's full of sass and heart and its discussion of navigating trans identity made me feel wholly seen. I could have read 200 more pages but at 150 it was short, sweet, and to the point.
As of a few weeks ago, Cheri was reading Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean by Edward Kritzler. “I love history and my son and I like to watch shows on real pirates. After going through the Panama Canal on a three week cruise that included a stop in Cartagena, It is an awesome historical read, even if poorly written.” Though she didn’t read them in 2022, I feel compelled to note that she hated both The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
So send in your favorite and least favorite reads of 2022, and let’s get this show on the road. I’ll send out MANY more reminders, but know that I give you special kudos for submitting early :) Enjoy your week!